Water cooler unit frame assembly

ABSTRACT

A water cooler is provided with a unitary, integral back and bottom plate frame of relatively thin material, with this integral plate having a configuration which permits the use of the thin material without extensive vibrations being transmitted from the operating parts of the water cooler to the room in which it is housed. The integral back and bottom plate frame includes an outwardly offset, laterally extending rib disposed at the top of the back portion and a pair of outwardly projecting truncated conical embossments adjacent the jointure of the back and bottom portions to space the water cooler unit from the wall on which it is disposed and also to limit to a great degree excessive vibrations from being passed to this wall.

United States Patent 1 Sholtes WATER COOLER UNIT FRAME ASSEMBLY [75]Inventor: Carl E. Sholtes, Columbus, Ohio [73] Assignee: WestinghouseElectric Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

221 Filed: Feb. 24, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 117,927

[52] U.S. Cl. 248/15, 62/297 [51] Int. Cl F161 3/00 [58] Field of Search248/2, 12, 14, 15,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,108,898 2/1938 Lyons62/297 3,327,977 6/1967 Swearingen.. 211/87 1,929,562 10/1933 Pierce211/88 UX 2,366,284 l/l945 Nofzinger 312/253 X 2,848,880 8/1958 Riedelet al..... 312/245 X 2,517,988 8/1950 Dobkin 312/245 3,146,978 9/1964Carlson 248/15 3,260,559 7/1966 Newman et a1 312/245 X July 17, 1973Baer 312/245 UX Zucker 211/88 X [57] ABSTRACT A water cooler is providedwith a unitary, integral back and bottom plate frame of relatively thinmaterial, with this integral plate having a configuration which permitsthe use of the thin material without extensive vibrations beingtransmitted from the operating parts of the water cooler to the room inwhich it is housed. The integral back and bottom plate frame includes anoutwardly offset, laterally extending rib disposed at the top of theback portion and a pair of outwardly projecting truncated conicalembossments adjacent the jointure of the back and bottom portions tospace the water cooler unit from the wall on which it is disposed andalso to limit to a great degree excessive vibrations from being passedto this wall.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PMEFEnJm 3 7 am SHEET 2 BF 2 WATER COOLERUNIT FRAME ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates generally to panels which have reducedvibration and vibration transmitting characteristics and, morespecifically, relates to a water cooler whose supporting frame panellimits vibrations passed to the room in which the water cooler isdisposed.

2. Description of the Prior Art All wall mounted water coolers have onecommon vibration problem; that is, the possibility of the transmissionof fan and/or compressor vibration into the cooler frame plate and itsfunctioning as a sounding board so that excess and enhanced vibrationsare transmitted to the supporting wall and resulting noise occurs whichis not desired and sometimes is of sufficient quantity as to not betolerable within the space in which the water cooler is disposed.

Prior art attempts at the solution to the noise problem existing in wallhung water cooler units has followed one of two paths. The supportingpanel of the water cooler unit was made sufficiently thick so as toprovide a relatively inflexible back panel so that the same could notact as a sounding board. Alternatively, the speed of the circulating fanhas been reduced to limit induced vibrations in the back panel. In somecases, both motor speed and thickness of the back panel have probablybeen utilized so as to lessen the noise generated by wall hung watercooler units.

Both of these solutions, either singly or in combination, do tend tolimit the amount of noise imparted to the area in which the wall hungwater cooler unit is disposed but they both suffer from problems ofeconomics. More specifically, the use of an extremely thick back platefor the water cooler unit involves an additional cost factor being builtinto the unit when the thickness of the panel, except for vibrationattenuation purposes, does not require or necessitate the thicknessfinally adopted. Utilization of reduced fan speed from the standardprovided places the operating characteristics of the fan motor in a moreinefficient position on its operating curve so that, for example, highfan winding temperatures and shorter fan motor life have been incurredwhen the speed of the fan has been reduced to limit the amount of soundvibration imparted to the area in which the water cooler is disposed.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a supporting panel fora wall hung water cooler unit which made provision for the attenuationof any undesirable vibrations imparted by operation of the fan motor atits standard design speed. The development of such a panel would alsopennit the use of a material whose thickness was dictated only by therequired support it was to yield to the operating components of thewater cooler unit which were disposed on it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A wall hung water cooler unit is providedhaving an integral back and bottom frame panel of thin sheet material,with this panel having an integral, upper, transversely extending,formed rib and a pair of embossed truncated cone-like projections at itslower corners. The rib and embossed projections abuttingly engage thewall from which the water cooler unit is disposed and effectivelysubstantially prevent the setting up of harmonics within the frame paneland, at the same time, limit the area of frame panel which is contactingthe wall to further attenuate any vibrational characteristics of thecooler unit from being imparted to the wall and/or surroundings withinwhich it is disposed. The integral rear and bottom frame panel alsoincludes a series of L-shaped embossments which project downwardlyrelative to the major surface of the bottom portion so that the framepanel may conveniently and easily be moved along a roller conveyorarrangement. Cutouts are also provided in the frame panel for thereception of plumbing and electrical wiring, a cut out is also furnishedto provide a ventilating area for the compressor and its motor andcut-outs are also provided for general ventilation purposes. Due to thisnovel and inventive frame panel configuration material thickness of thepanel can be reduced from 0.092 inches 0.049 inches.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the preferred embodiment, exemplary of theinvention, shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rear and bottom frame panel memberand certain ancillary parts removed;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the water cooler unit with thepanels and basin for it shown in exploded relationship;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken substantially on lineIIIIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VV of FIG. 2 but showingthe wall hung water cooler panel frame engaged with a wall mountedbracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2it can be seen that a wall hung water cooler unit 10 includes anintegral rear and bottom frame panel member 12, side panels 14 and 16,front panel 18 and a basin 20 to complete the general outline of thewater cooler unit 10. The basin 20 can also be seen as capable ofmounting a fountain head 22 which provides a supply of cold water to theuser of the water cooler unit 10.

Means are provided within the wall hung water cooler 10 for the mountingof the conventional refrigerating equipment utilized to cool the watersupplied to fountain head 22. More specifically, integral back andbottom frame panel 12 has mounted directly thereon a compressor 24 andfan 26, with the compressor providing the requisite compression of arefrigerant gas for use in refrigeration and the fan 26 providing forthe circulation of air within the water cooler unit 10 to providecooling of a condenser unit 28 also mounted within the water cooler unit10. The manner of mounting the compressor 24 and fan 26 will appearlater in this description.

The condenser unit 28 includes a front panel 32 and a top panel 34 whichin assembled condition support shaped brace 38 boltingly attached to therear and bottom frame panel 12 and providing support for the frontportion of bottom panel 30 of condensor unit 28. The rear portion ofcondensor unit 28 is supported] by an inwardly extending peripheralflange 40 formed on a cut out 42 in the integral rear and bottom framepanel 12, with this cut out also furnishing an area for convenientconnection and passage therethrougli of plumbing and electrical wiring,required for wall hung water cooler unit 10.

An evaporative cooler assembly 44 is also provided for mounting withinthe wall hung water cooler unit 10, with this assembly including a watercontaining tank 46, evaporative cooling coils 48, and shell insulation50. The shell insulation 50 for the evaporative cooler assembly 44 takesthe general form of a split, hollow cylinder so that the same may easilybe fitted over and envelop the water cooling tank 46 and evaporativecooling coil 48, with a convenientfastening together of the two parts ofthe shell insulation 50 being maintained by a pair of metal or plasticstraps 52. Evaporative cooler assembly 44 may be supported from the topportions of U-shaped brace 38 by any conventional means.

' The majorcomponents, maintained and supported within wall hung watercooler unit are completed by a drain assembly,(not shown) which mountswithin the condensor unit 28 so that a drain 56 disposed in the bottomof the basin mates therewith so that overflow water from fountain head22 is conveniently drained downwardly within the wall mounted watercooler unit 10 for disposition by the plumbing connected with the watercooler unit 10.

It should be clear from the foregoing description that the rear andbottom frame panel 12 provides the main support for the operativecomponents of wall hung water cooler unit 10. Further, the manner ofmounting the side and front panels and basin 20 which complete theenclosure for the water cooler unit 10 should be clear from theillustration in FIG. 2.

Integral rear and bottom frame panel 12 includes a rear frame panelportion 58 and a bottom frame panel portion 60, with the bottom framepanel portion 60 extending substantially at a right angle to rear framepanel portion 58. Rear panel portion 58 includes flanges 62, 62extending along its opposite sides for substantially the height of rearpanel portion 58, while the bottom panel portion 60 includes flanges 64,64 extending along its opposite sides for substantially their depth anda front flange 66 which extends for substantially the width of thebottom panel portion 60 so that the flanges 62, 62, 64, 64 and 66provide a strengthening means for integral rear and bottom frame panel12 and also a connecting means for connection thereto of the U-shapedbrace 38 and a pair of diagonally disposed braces 68, 68 which extendbetween rear panel portion 58 and bottom panel portion 60 adjacent thecorner formed therebetween. By this arrangement then, the U-shaped brace38 and diagonally disposed braces 68, 68 tend to provide rigidity tointegral rear and bottom frame panel 12 so that it may adequatelyfunction as the main supporting means for the remainder of thecomponents of wall hung water cooler unit 10.

Bottom panel portion 60 includes a pair of cut cuts 70 and 72, with thecut out 70 being substantially rectangular in configuration so as toprovide some ventilation and a lower access means for the utilization ofplumbing, etc. which may be passed into water cooler unit 10. At thesame time, out out 72 is substantially circular in shape, with this cutoutaffording a ventilation means for compressor 24 which is mountedthereover. Each of the cut cuts and 72 include peripherally inwardlyextending flange 74 and 76, respectively, which strengthen bottom panelportion 60 in the area of the cut outs and add overall rigidity to itshorizontal extent.

The general formation of bottom panel 60 is completed by the inclusiontherein, in its surface, of four L-shaped embossments 78, disposed oneat each corner of the bottom panel 60 and with the apex of each of theL-shapes conforming, generally, to the apex of each corner of the bottompanel 60. These embossments also add a general rigidity to thehorizontal extent of bottom panel portion 60 and additionally providethe important advantage of yielding a displaced surface on which theintegral rear and bottom frame panel 12 move during the manufacture ofwall hung water cooler unit 10. More specifically, Lshaped embossrnents78 are that area of the bottom panel portion 60 which engage with androll along a series of rollers which may be provided on a rollerconveyor system for fabrication of water cooler unit 10. Since thesefour L-shaped embossments spatially displace the major horizontal extentof bottom panel 60 and the edges thereof upwardly relative to the upperplane of the rollers on which they are supported during manufacture,there is no ten dency for the edges of the bottom panel portion 60 fromengaging between two rollers with a consequent damage to the integralrear and bottom panel frame member 12 or water cooler unit 10.

A series of punched holes 80 may also be provided in bottom panelportion 60 for the stud mounting of compressor 24, it being distinctlyunderstood that differing compressor mountings than the one illustratedmerely requires the addition of differently spaced punched holes 80 inthe surface of the bottom panel 60. In order to provide for a securelymounted stud 81, due to the relative thinness of bottom panel portion60, selvage or waste from for example, the cut-outs 42, 70 or 72 may beplaced in an area of the studs (not shown) and punched so that each stud81 passes through two thicknessesof material prior to its reception by alug 83 of compressor 24.

Rear panel 58 includes the previously mentioned cut out 42 and alsoincludes a pair of cut outs 82, 82 adjacent its upper termination, withthese cut outs'spaced laterally enough to be close to the upper cornersof the rear panel 58. Each of these cut outs provides an access means tothe interior of water cooler unit 10 for ventilation purposes.Alternately they may also be utilized for the passage of electricalplumbing lines into the interior of water cooler unit 10. Rear panel 58also includes, substantially immediately disposed laterally relative tothe width of rear panel 58 are a pair of mounting pads 84, 84 with eachof these pads taking the gen eral shape of a raised rectangle havingrounded ends. These mounting pads serve as a mounting means for theaforementioned mounting of fan 26 and, because of their raised surfacerelative to the general surface of rear panel 58, again serve as arigidifying and strengthening portion for the rear panel.

Since both the compressor 24 and fan 26 are motor driven a certainamount of vibration is existent within water cooler unit 10. To dampenthis vibration (primarily fan induced vibration) and to serve as anattenuating means so that rear panel 58 does not act as a soundingboard, rear panel 58 includes rearwardly projecting means 86 and 88.Rearwardly projecting means 86, (FIGS. l-3) is formed at the uppertermination of rear panel 58 and is generally channel shaped in crosssection, with the same being formed by an ofi'set portion 90 whichextends at right angles to the major extent of rear panel portion 58, aweb portion 92 which extends at right angle relationship to offsetportion 90, and a flange portion 94 of slightly wider dimension than theoffset 90 to provide a flange at the upper end of rear panel 58. Theattenuating means 88 is disposed generally at the bottom extent of rearpanel 58 and is formed by a substantially truncated conical offset 96with an offset being provided adjacent each lower corner of rear panel58. These truncated conical offsets 96 provide a flat annular portion 98which, along with the webbed portion 92 of outwardly projectingattenuation means 86, provide means which abut against the wall on whichwall hung water cooler is mounted. Round pierced holes 100 may beprovided in each of the truncated conical portions 96 so that screws maybe passed therethrough if desired to serve as one means for attachingthe wall hung water cooler 10 to the wall from which it is suspended.However, such screws are not generally required since mounting of thewall hung water cooler unit 10 may be accomplished in the followingmanner.

Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that bracket member 102 having aflat leg 104 and an angular leg 106 is attached to the rear side of rearpanel 58, with this bracket extending for substantially the entire widthof the rear panel and with the angular leg 106 extending in a dependingfashion relative to the flat leg 104 thereof. A wall brace 108 (alsoseen in FIG. 2) having a flat face 110 is disposed so as to be inabutting contact with a wall 112 from which the wall hung water coolerunit 10 is to be disposed. Wall brace 108 ofiers a pair of angularportions 114, 114 (FIG. 2) which slide behind and engage with theangular leg 106.0n bracket 102 thereby supporting the wall hung watercooler unit 10 therefrom and also tending to move the water cooler unit10 inwardly towards the wall as it seeks its final support against wallbrace 108. This movement disposes rearwardly projecting attenuatingmeans 86 and -88 in continuous abutment with wall 112 so that wall hungwater cooler unit 10 is spaced generally outwardly therefrom and properattenuation of vibrations caused by fan 24 occurs, limiting the amountof noise transmission to the wall 112 in the room within which the watercooler is accessible.

It should be clear from the foregoing description that a water coolerunit has been described which provides all of the advantages set out asdesirable in the beginning portion of this specification and, further,that the water cooler described may have many modifications made theretobut the same would still fall in the spirit and scope of the descriptionoffered.

What is claimed is:

l. A wall hung water cooler unit including:

a motor compressor;

a motor-driven fan;

a frame structure supporting said motor'compressor and said motor-drivenfan, said frame structure comprising metal sheet material formed into avertical back panel adapted to be supported from a wall, and ahorizontal base panel, said back panel including a plurality ofspaced-apart portions formed out of said back panel and projectingrearwardly out of the plane of said back panel to provide abuttingcontact with said wall;

said back panel and said base panel include cut-out portions therein,with at least a part of said material forming the boundaries of saidcut-outs being flanged inwardly to impart added rigidity to said panels;

said back panel includes a pair of spaced-apart, forwardly-directedembossed portions forming mounting pads for said motor-driven fan;

said motor-driven fan is mounted on said pads;

said motor compressor is supported on said base panel;

one of said plurality of said rearwardly projecting portions comprises arib of generally channel-shape in cross section extending substantiallyacross the width of said back panel adjacent the top edge thereof;

the others of said plurality of rearwardly projecting portions comprisea generally frusto-conical embossment adjacent each of the lower cornersof said back panel; and

said back panel and said base panel are formed of a single piece ofsheet material bent to form a substantially right angle.

2. A water cooler unit according to claim 1 wherein:

said frame structure includes inwardly-directed flange means extendingalong the major portion of the length of the edges of said back and basepanels.

1. A wall hung water cooler unit including: a motor compressor; amotor-driven fan; a frame structure supporting said motor-compressor andsaid motor-driven fan, said frame structure comprising metal sheetmaterial formed into a vertical back panel adapted to be supported froma wall, and a horizontal base panel, said back panel including aplurality of spaced-apart portions formed out of said back panel andprojecting rearwardly out of the plane of said back panel to provideabutting contact with said wall; said back panel and said base panelinclude cut-out portions therein, with at least a part of said materialforming the boundaries of said cut-outs being flanged inwardly to impartadded rigidity to said panels; said back panel includes a pair ofspaced-apart, forwardlydirected embossed portions forming mounting padsfor said motor-driven fan; said motor-driven fan is mounted on saidpads; said motor compressor is supported on said base panel; one of saidplurality of said rearwardly projecting portions comprises a rib ofgenerally channel-shape in cross section extending substantially acrossthe width of said back panel adjacent the top edge thereof; the othersof said plurality of rearwardly projecting portions comprise a generallyfrusto-conical embossment adjacent each of the lower corners of saidback panel; and said back panel and said base panel are formed of asingle piece of sheet material bent to form a substantially right angle.2. A water cooler unit according to claim 1 wherein: said framestructure includes inwardly-directed flange means extending along themajor portion of the length of the edges of said back and base panels.